Launch Days.

As some of you might be aware, a week ago we had a rather large shoe launch.

For those not in the know, Irregular Choice (makers of fabulous shoes and bringers of joy and hope) like to collaborate with others and bring you the ultimate in shoes. Previous collections have included Star Wars, Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella. When IC give wind that there’s a new collection on the way, speculation is high and all sorts of theories are put out there. Honestly sometimes I think collectors of IC should work for CSI.

So last Friday we had the largest collection to date. Mickey and Friends. Follow that link to see our in store collection.

Look how utterly fabulous they are?! Unboxing and discovering whats lurking underneath that tissue paper is one of my many favourite parts. Its like Christmas all over again. Especially when you have customers in store who come to see their unveiling. They are the children and we are Father Christmas. Their faces glow and with eyes wide all we can hear for the next few hours is ‘Oh gosh! Oh WOW! Just look at that heel detail! Ooo they are so sparkly!’. Then comes the bit they’ve been waiting for. Trying on!!! Squeaking and hopping about in delight because they fit and they are ‘the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn’.

In typical Rockamilly fashion, and because no one needs to ask me twice, Kirsty and I tried our very best to bring a little Disney magic to the launch. How? I hear you ask.

We used the amazing stock that we already have to piece together some Mickey and Minnie outfits. We look good don’t you think? Yes those are socks over my shoes. We brought smiles to our customers, to the villagers going past and hearing children shouting ‘Mummy, IT’S MICKEY MOUSE!’ makes wearing socks over your shoes totally worth it.

We always launch in store and then go online a little bit later. Its fair that way. We have customers who come from quite a way away just to be at our launches. Cake, drinks and beautiful shoes. I mean what more could a shoe lover want?

And so once the in store hype has finished and everyone has made their purchases and left with the biggest smiles, we settle down to online orders. OH BOY! Check, print, wrap, re-wrap, bag, stick, send. I love to read where our shoes are going. Where will they be oo-ed and ahh-ed over. Who’s day is going to be made when that box is handed over? Who’s being surprised for their birthday, anniversary etc? Are they their absolute dream shoe? We posted to Texas this time. TEXAS! I know what you’re thinking. It wasn’t the cowboy boots.

So after we wrapped a mountain of shoes, we sat back and had a little think. About the day. About the people we’d met. How I’d made a noise i’d never heard before when I saw the GOSH hi-tops light up. How Kirsty had decided which pair she wanted and then how her little heart broke when I wrapped them up and sent them away. About how fortunate we are to be a part of the Irregular Choice family. A group of beautiful, eccentric, barmy men and women who, like us, LOVE shoes and LOVE launch days.

I wouldn’t change them for the world. We were exhausted by closing time, no doubt about it. Mickey had come to our corner of Essex and Hot Diggety Dog he’d made an impression. He still is. In our window display, along with Minnie, Donald and Daisy. I can hear a lady outside admiring them as I type. She’s quite possibly someones Grandma and in all honesty she’d look fabulous in those Glitzy Mickeys that she’s lusting over. They appeal to all age groups.

After all. It was Mickey that kick started everything we know and love about Disney. It’s about time he was immortalised like this.